Sauropelta

Sauropelta was a genus of nodosaurid dinosaur that lived in the Cretaceous Period of North America, about 108.5 million years ago.
It was a herbivore that fed on low-growing plants.
It was found in the U.S. states of Wyoming, Montana, and possibly Utah.

Sauropelta was a genus of nodosaurid dinosaur that lived in North America during the Early Cretaceous period, about 108.5 million years ago.

It was a medium-sized herbivore, measuring about 6 meters (19.7 feet) long and weighing about 2 tons (2.2 short tons).

Sauropelta had a triangular skull with a flat roof and thick bony plates.

It had leaf-shaped teeth for cutting plant material and a sharp bony ridge at the end of its jaws that probably supported a keratinous beak.

Its body was covered with a heavy armor of bony scutes and spines, especially on its back, tail and neck.

The spines on its neck were particularly large, reaching up to half a meter (1.6 feet) in length.

Its tail was long and made up nearly half of its body length.

It had four sturdy legs and a broad chest.

Sauropelta was one of the earliest and most well-understood nodosaurids.

It is known from several complete or partial skeletons and skulls, as well as isolated bones and armor pieces.

It was first named and described by John Ostrom in 1970, based on fossils from Wyoming.

Later, more fossils were found in Montana and possibly Utah.

It is the only named species of its genus, although there may have been others.

Sauropelta was a slow-moving but well-protected dinosaur that could withstand attacks from predators with its formidable armor and spines.

This dinosaur probably fed on low-growing plants and ferns, using its beak and teeth to slice them.

It may have lived in herds or groups for safety and social interaction.

Tooth wear and possible jaw action of Scelidosaurus harrisonii Owen and a review of feeding mechanisms in other thyreophoran dinosaurs.